The Glory Of A Lakes Region Sunset

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper

“It is almost impossible to watch a sunset and not dream.”

– Bernard Williams

Many boaters say there is nothing more beautiful than watching the sun set over Lake Winnipesaukee. In this, they would be correct. There is something about a glowing, bright orange or soft pink sunset over the lake to nourish the soul with its fantastic beauty.

There are many places to see the sunset, whether by boat or on land. According to local photographer Jeremy Noyes, there are many places to look for a pretty sunset.

Noyes should know because he is an avid sunset (or sunrise) chaser and captures some breathtaking shots of those special times of the day. His photographs illustrate the beauty that occurs when the sun sets over the lake or in the early mornings as the brilliant orb arises. Some images are from spots on private land, where Noyes has permission from the property owner, but most are from public places around the Lakes Region, with the water nearby.

Noyes loves the lake and says it creates a beautiful mirror effect, with a double image of the brilliant colors of a sunset reflected in the water. “I am drawn to sunsets because of the colors and the overall feeling of witnessing the beauty of a sunrise or sun setting over the lake. It gives me a sense of quiet and harmony.

“I typically find places without a lot of people around. The best gems aren’t all that difficult to find, but you must put in some time to seek them out,” he says.

“I like to photograph in places without a lot of people. These areas are best spots. Some popular places the public can be assured of good sunset shows are the Wolfeboro Town Docks, anywhere near Meredith Bay, at Trexler’s Marina in Moultonborough, and 19 Mile Bay in Tuftonboro,” Noyes says.

Although possible to do, Noyes explains that he rarely photographs sunsets from a boat. Indeed, he has done so only once because the simple fact is a boat is moving, and this makes it harder to capture the intensity of a sunset via a photograph. 

 “There are more ripples in the water, and it isn’t a still view because the boat is moving,” he explains. “From land, I can keep the camera stationary to get a longer exposure.”

Among his go-to sunset locations, Roberts Cove in Alton is at the top of the list for Noyes. “It is my favorite place; I find the most beautiful sunsets there. I can see some of the islands on the lake and water reflections.”

Some spots Noyes loves to capture sunset photographs are places with a dock in the foreground. “I call myself a light chaser,” he says. “I just find the sun setting over the mountains or the water stunning; I am particularly interested in sunsets.”

To see the beautiful photographs of Jeremy Noyes, visit his gallery (Jeremy Noyes Gallery) at 23 Main St., Unit #3, in downtown Meredith. The gallery walls are full of photos Noyes has taken that capture scenes of nature, including his favorites, the beloved Lakes Region sunsets taken in various seasons.

The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday; Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Call 858-761-2504 or visit www.jeremynoyesphotography.com.

When polled, Lakes Regioners have individual thoughts on where their favorite sunsets might be. Nancy Merrill of Alton says, “A great sunset location is definitely the water bandstand in Alton Bay!”

Although not near the water, Steele Hill in Sanbornton rates at the top of the list for Kristin Gage, a resident of that town. Steele Hill is high on a mountain with sweeping views of the area.

For realtor Shannon Casey, the Grand View Motel & Cottages at 291 Endicott Street North in Laconia is her top-of-the-list spot. The Grand View lives up to its name with views of the lakes and mountains from the porch.

Nothing in the Lakes Region beats the mountaintop Castle in the Clouds patio at the Carriage House for dining with a great view. Guests love to have a meal on the patio and enjoy unbeatable views of the sun setting over the lake and mountains with the sweeping landscape far below. 

Some boaters say the sunsets near the Margate Resort on Lake Street in Laconia are one-of-a-kind. Take a boat or pontoon with a group of friends and family and head out on the water for a chance to see an intense sunset. Drop anchor and relax while the sun goes down and provides a glorious end to a hot Lakes Region day.

If you are coming from an island on the lake, you are obviously on a boat. There is much to be said for viewing a beautiful sunset from the water, and Little Barndoor near Parker Island is a popular spot. One commenter on the winnipesaukee.com website says, “I’m voting for the west side of Barndoor Island. The sunset varies from straight up the Broads to Rattlesnake and eventually to Belknap Mountain.”

A sunset photo enthusiast wrote on the winnipesaukee.com forum, “Over the years, I have shot hundreds of sunsets from this spot (the parking lot of O Steak and Seafood), and no two sunsets are ever really the same.” The restaurant is located on Doris Ray Court in Laconia, and the sunset shots are over the water near the eatery.

Many agree that sunsets from a beach at any location around the lake are spectacular, and some great beaches are Ellacoya State Park in Gilford and Carry Beach in Wolfeboro. With the mountains in the background and sand between your toes, the serenity of a sunset from a beach is unbeatable.

A Lake Region boater shared a final opinion of where a viewer might find the best sunset: “Any place is a perfect place to see a sunset on this lake.”

Planning A Spring Garden

Early spring is a great time to start planning your garden — choosing what species to plant, what use to make of the space that is available, and determine what your plants will require.

William Hastings, the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension’s agricultural field specialist for Coös County, said planning helps to get the most out of your garden space.

“They’re gonna want to think about things like, do my plants want full sun or shade? Should I transplant seedlings or should I direct-sow seeds? Is the plant I’m planting an annual or biannual or perennial, and how much space does this plant need when it’s mature?” Will said.

By and large, the seed catalogues and seed packages provide the necessary information about what plants are suited for New Hampshire’s climate and what the plants’ needs are.

Seeds will keep for several years if stored properly, but the Extension recommends buying only enough seeds for the current year’s use. If you buy more seeds than you need, it is a good idea to keep them in a cool, dry place. Those in laminated foil packets are likely to stay dry, but those in paper packets should be kept in tightly closed jars or containers and maintained around 40°F with low humidity, according to https://extension.unh.edu/agriculture-gardens/fruit-vegetable-crops.

The Extension warns that gardeners who save seeds from their own gardens may have seeds that are the result of random pollination by insects or other natural agents, and therefore may not produce plants like the parent plants.

Asked how a customer can be sure whether purchased seeds are viable, Will said, “By and large, seed companies are going to do their best to circulate that stock and make sure that what they’re selling is viable, but there are some tests for seed viability.

“I think without getting too into specifics, one option that folks can do is take a sample of those seeds, and they could soak them in a bowl of water for maybe an hour, and then lay them out on a moist paper towel, and make sure that towel stays moist, and over the next couple of days, they should see those seeds start to swell and crack and send out a root. As long as they do that, then, if we’re at a decent percentage of germination, then we can consider those fairly viable.”

With longer-season crops, it is a good idea to arrange an early launch of the growing season by starting the plants indoors.

“An example of that would be a tomato plant,” Will said. “If we can get a nice vigorous transplant going, that’ll help it get a jump-start on the season.

“Shorter-season, quick-growing crops like lettuce can either be started as a transplant or direct-seeded. Things with a really long root don’t like to be transplanted a lot of the time, so carrots would be an example of something that we would want to direct-seed. We wouldn’t want to try and transplant a carrot.”

Some plants, such as kale, will keep producing all season long, allowing the gardener to continue harvesting it throughout the summer and well into fall. Broccoli, on the other hand, will provide only one harvest.

“This is a reason why it’s good to read the seed packet,” Will said.

“Spring is also a good time to clean up our gardens or our planter containers,” Will continued. “We want to remove any old dead material or debris from last year, and this is important because that can harbor different pests or diseases.”

He said that means focusing on cleaning off what is on the surface, such as old tomato stems.

“Leftover roots in the soil are going to be okay the majority of the time. Those are just going to break down and contribute to your soil’s biodiversity, but tilling and hand-weeding and mulching are all good practices to keep on top of early-season weeds,” he said.

“If folks haven’t taken a soil test in several years, they may want to consider submitting one for testing,” Will noted. “You can reach out to your local Extension office and we would be happy to provide you with a sample form and guidelines. That’s going to tell you what nutrients your soil has in abundance and those that you should incorporate to provide proper plant nutrition throughout the growing season.”

It is a good idea to delay planting until the frost danger has passed, which usually means waiting until at least Memorial Day to plant the garden.

“Memorial Day is a conservative estimate of the last frost date in Central New Hampshire,” Will said. “While this winter wasn’t too impressive, late-season frost can still kill or damage newly growing plants, so it’s good to wait until this danger is past before we put out any unprotected plants.”

Preparing plants that have been grown inside from seedlings for being transplanted in the garden requires some acclimation — called “hardening” —, according to Will.

“Plants that are growing indoors in a controlled environment, especially under artificial light, are much more fragile than ones that have been grown outside,” he explained, “so we want to slowly introduce them into the real world. A good way to do this is to slowly increase their exposure to outside conditions.”

Start by placing them in a shady place on the porch for an hour or two, then bringing them back inside, he said.

“Then bring them outside, and then we’re slowly going to increase their exposure,” he continued. “So we’ll set them out for a few hours the next day, and slowly increase their exposure to the full sun, and get them used to being in the wind.”

“Most importantly,” Will said, “have fun with it and enjoy being outside.”

Those seeking more specific information can seek answers to their questions through Ask UNH Extension at 1-877-EXT-GROW (1-877-398-4769) or answers@unh.edu, a free service that connects home gardeners with Master Gardener volunteers.

The Marvelous Women of Canterbury Shaker Village

Eldress Bertha Lindsay knew the Shaker way of life was coming to an end by the 1960s. It wasn’t ending because she was elderly, but rather the changing times of the world were leaving the old ways in the dust.

Likely Bertha was saddened, yet philosophical by the facts: No potential members were knocking on the door and asking to join the religious group. The truth was, the only way to survive, was to graciously accept the end of the religious group in Canterbury, New Hampshire, and ensure the actual buildings remained to be enjoyed by others into the future.

Bertha Lindsay came to the Shakers as a little girl. It was the early 1900s and Bertha’s parents had passed on. An elder sister arranged to transfer Bertha to the Shakers, knowing they took in orphans and raised them up with kindness.

Resisting this drastic change in her life at the outset, it wasn’t long before Bertha settled down and wrote later that she felt she had come home. The adult Sisters were kind to Bertha and that made the transition to her permanent home much easier.

It was indeed her home, and she lived the rest of her life, from childhood until she died in 1990, at Canterbury Shaker Village. According to information in Simple Gifts A Memoir of a Shaker Village by June Sprigg, once she reached the age of 21, Bertha had the choice to leave the Shakers and go into the world, but she decided to stay.

Bertha signed the Covenant and stepped into a life of meaning and commitment to God. Becoming a Shaker meant no spouse (the Shakers were a celibate sector), and no children, but those who joined the Shaker religion did so knowing the sacrifices as well as the gains.

Bertha was among the many outstanding and talented women who became Shaker Sisters. In her older years, Bertha was elevated to Eldress, one of the highest-ranking positions in the Society. Although she held power, kind-hearted Bertha was modest and never saw herself as above her fellow Shakers.

Over the years the community was thriving, the Shaker women shared their talents in cooking healthful and delicious meals, gardening, keeping the rooms of the big buildings spotless, raising the orphaned children that came into their care with compassion, and pursuing hobbies such as photography, herbal cures, painting, fiber work, and much more.

Bertha’s close friend, Sister Bertha Lillian Phelps, arrived at Canterbury Shaker Village in the latter part of the 19th century. Lillian was from a Boston family and was encouraged to pursue music from a young age. When illness overcame her as a teenager, Lillian’s parents decided a summer at Canterbury Shaker Village to rest and recover would be just the thing. They had no idea they were changing the course of their daughter’s life. At just 16 years of age, she chose to join the Shakers and stayed with them.

At some point, Lillian and Bertha crossed paths at Shaker Village and became lifelong friends. Each had special talents. Bertha excelled at baking bread and was elevated to head baker and cook, feeding the many Shakers who were at one time part of the Society. Much later in life, Bertha put her recipes into a popular cookbook, Seasoned with Grace: Recipes from My Generation of Shaker Cooking, (with forward by Mary Rose Boswell). Lillian was a talented musician, playing the piano at many Shaker services.

As a loving community, the Shakers welcomed everyone and were accepting of differences. According to A Shaker Family Album by David R. Starbuck and Scott T. Swank, in 1895, Edith M. Green was admitted to the North Family of the Canterbury Shakers.

Edith was of mixed racial heritage and her father was a sailor from St. Thomas in the Dutch West Indies. Her mother was from Maine. Edith lived with the Canterbury Shakers and signed the Covenant in 1914. She stayed with the community the rest of her life and found peace among the Shakers where skin color meant little and being a good person meant everything.

Like many of the Shaker women, Edith brought her talents to the community. She was put in charge of the Shaker Creamery and canned a great deal of the food consumed by the Shakers. Edith passed away in 1951.

The Shakers seemed to be able to do just about anything and used their skills to make such items as poplarware and oval-shaped boxes. Both sold well in the Canterbury Shaker gift shop and are desired by collectors even today.

A beloved and independent Shaker was Gertrude Soule, one of whom relocated from the Sabbathday Lake Shaker community in the 1960s. She loved children and talking about the Shakers, and she remained at Canterbury until she died in 1988. As talented as many of the other Shakers, Sister Gertrude was a dab hand at knitting and gardening, although she was not much of a cook.

Sister Marguerite Frost was born in Massachusetts and arrived at Canterbury Shaker Village in 1903 when she was 11 years of age. A serious and studious child, she embraced religion and by the time she was in her 20s, Sister Marguerite was the assistant teacher in the Shaker school. Amazingly, she also served at Canterbury Shaker Village as the community’s doctor in the 1940s. She was interested in herbal cures and wrote about the use of such herbs in medicine. Her talents were also musical, and she led a band in the community playing the saxophone, as she loved the old Shaker songs.

Due to her skills and upstanding work in the community, Marguerite was appointed Lead Minister of the United Society and served as such until she died in 1971. Similar to Eldress Bertha, Sister Marguerite likely saw village membership dwindle, and was active in the creation of the Canterbury Shaker Village Museum, which now offers programs and tours to the public.

Over the decades, the many women who came to call Canterbury Shaker Village home brought unique talents and backgrounds with them. Some were artists, writers, or teachers while others were musicians, photographers, chefs, or dabbled in medicine. Whatever their talents, the marvelous women of Canterbury Shaker Village shared their gifts with the community and in turn, with the outside world.

For a schedule of seasonal events and tours at Canterbury Shaker Village, visit www.shakers.org. or call 603-783-9511.

Photo: Eldress Bertha Lindsay among flowers at Canterbury Shaker Village. (photographer: Charles “Bud” Thompson; courtesy Canterbury Shaker Village)

Spring Yard and Garden Refresh

Your yard may look a little beat after a winter of snow, ice, and winds. Snow plowing multiple times likely created a few potholes in a dirt driveway, or damage or cracks in an asphalt path or driveway.

High winter winds might have torn branches from trees and scattered limbs in your yard, meaning those trees should be inspected for damage. Shrubs, even if covered last fall, may need some attention after their covers are removed. Do your windows need a good wash, and what about your home’s roof that may have endured wind and ice damage?

Letting these things slide is natural because it can seem daunting to inspect everything and spend time and money making repairs. However, to keep your home in tip-top shape and more enjoyable for the coming summer months, take a little time once the snow has gone to check for yard damage.

Says Nick Bernard of A Sharper Image Landscape, located in Alton, New Hampshire, “Now is the time to start an assessment of your yard. With the signs of warmer weather here and snow storms being over, you can safely start yard work.”

Bernard services residential and commercial properties around the Lakes Region, as well as installing beautiful patios, walkways, and veneer fireplaces to help homeowners get the most from their outdoor areas in the summer months.

Once mud season is safely over, refreshing and repairing your yard can begin. (The UNH Cooperative Extension outlines that mud season occurs when the top layer of soil thaws while deeper soils are still frozen and the water has nowhere to drain, leaving a thick layer of mud on the surface. This can occur in your lawn, garden, or gravel driveway so be cautious when using equipment, tools, and machinery in the spring. The soft upper layer could give way and create muddy ruts that may need to be renovated or reseeded. Give soil time to drain before using heavy equipment. Mud season usually lasts a couple of weeks so be patient to avoid lawn and garden damage.)

On-site meetings to assess what needs to be done and what solutions might be available to handle the damage winter can cause to a property are the norm for Bernard. Once the snow is gone, homeowners can also make a to-do list of chores. “You can look for fallen debris, snow plow damage, and signs of animals such as moles and voles that push up through the lawn.”

He adds that as the nights get warmer, you can unwrap the burlap you covered your shrubs to protect them from harsh winter conditions.

Before beginning yard work, your list of chores might seem daunting, but you can break it into manageable tasks, tackling one issue at a time, starting with a small job and working your way up to bigger tasks. But you needn’t handle the big jobs unassisted. Some tasks might call for equipment or skills you just don’t have, such as repairing a damaged driveway or fixing a roof, and it is sensible to bring in a professional.

Help the environment by thinking about sustainable yard clean-up before starting outdoor projects. What cleaning products could damage your lawn, the ground, and perhaps your well system? What products, from a simple cleaning rag to a sophisticated cloth or mop, might be eco-friendly vs. wipes or paper towels that will end up in the trash?

Properly dispose of household hazardous waste, and check your yard storage area for old batteries, fertilizers, fuel, gas cylinders, poisons, paint, and other items that might be hazardous.

Perhaps you planted bulbs last fall, hoping for flowers to spring up the following year? Springtime warm weather is a reality these days, but you can protect flowers that may be sprouting earlier. According to information from the UNH Cooperative Extension (copyright© 2024, University of New Hampshire), “Most bulbs can come up in March and April, but early emergence is not a cause for concern. Early leaf development may be damaged by freezing temperatures but as long as the flower buds remain below ground during colder temperatures they should flower as expected. If the buds emerge and are killed by the cold, the plant will likely survive and return to flower production the following season. A thick layer of organic mulch such as leaves, pine needles, or bark mulch, applied in late fall can help insulate the bulbs and keep them from emerging prematurely.”

Prune shrubs that may have been damaged by cold, snow, and wind. Prune back to the live stems using clippers vs. electric shears to prevent a thick outer layer of growth that blocks sunlight from getting to the center of the shrub. In the springtime, prune summer-flowering shrubs before buds appear.

The lawn is always a big part of yard care, and it too can take a beating in the winter. You should consider testing the soil’s pH to determine the best lawn treatment. 

But before tackling lawn work, watch for frost. Jeremy Caruso of Caruso Outdoor Maintenance explains, “People are eager to get started on yard work, and especially lawn care, and if the temperature rises to 55 degrees, they want to thatch and aerate their lawn. But watch for frost even if you have some warm days.”

After removing any dead leaves from the surface of the lawn, you can put treatments down. Re-loam spotty areas and put seed on top.

This might be the year to start a vegetable garden, and Bernard of A Sharper Image Landscape says it depends on what you want to grow. “Pick a good sun and shade spot, decide if you prefer an in-ground or raised garden bed, learn about composting, and then you can begin planting.”

For those who want a flower garden, you might start with Hosta plantings, which Bernard says are easy to grow, but be aware deer like them, too. Daylilies are another good garden choice.

Use 50/50 loam with compost in it, Bernard advises. Put mulch on top of flowers, (if you are starting a vegetable garden, you do not need to put mulch on top of the plantings.)

Many homeowners have added attractive pavers or other stonework pathways or areas of their driveway. Bernard explains that a pressure washer can remove any dirt and mildew that may have formed on stone pathways or a patio. “If your stonework is cracked, it is best to call in a professional and have them assess the problem and suggest what needs to be done to fix it,” Bernard says.

The outdoor lover/homeowner may want to try something eye-catching and enjoyable, such as a fountain or small pool. “It takes some knowledge, " Bernard suggests, “You can try to do it on your own, but it is a bit more complicated to install and needs the right type of liner.”

As well as maintaining your current yard, it could be time to add a new feature to your property. A repaired or new deck is a popular choice. Decks are standard in the Lakes Region, and they provide outdoor entertaining areas, or a handy area to tie up your boat when the deck is placed over the water.

Decking options are varied. When considering a new deck, think about how you will use it, and what may make your enjoyment better. Utilize this as a guide to upgrading your existing deck or new deck installation. It is important to design the deck with your goals in mind. Consider the furniture you will be using, as well as circulation patterns through the deck. For example, think of traffic flow to avoid stepping over your favorite chair to get to the grill. These days, synthetic materials are popular. They last longer and provide many color options. And most synthetic materials can feel like real wood.

If you already have a deck, inspect it annually for signs of chipping or worn paint and stain, rot, or damage. Make repairs as early as possible. 

A deck can take a beating and the exposure to the outdoor elements could see deck nails beginning to pop, the wood to crack and the stain to peel. Mold from pounding rain and wintertime snow can add to deck replacements.

There are many other outdoor upgrades to add to family enjoyment this summer, such as a fire pit, an outdoor stone fireplace, a new deck or patio, or other improvements. Figure out your needs, jump in, and get your yard ready for sun and fun days ahead.

(Information for this article is from Nick Bernard of A Sharper Image Landscape (find A Sharper Image Landscape on Facebook), UNH Cooperative Extension (https://extension.unh.edu), and Jeremy Caruso of Caruso Outdoor Maintenance (www.carusooutdoormaintenance.com).

Weird Stuff In Lakes Region Towns and Villages

There was a community with a wealthy resident who peppered the area with war monuments and created an impressive arch as his final resting place; a lakeside area where it is said a giant of a Native American man once rested and even a tiny Lake Winnipesaukee island named for a young lady.

These stories are (mostly) fact while a few may be fiction, but there is no doubt some Lakes Region towns have interesting stories and plenty of “weird” things to entertain.

Should you travel through Melvin Village on Rt. 109 near the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee, you will see the Melvin Village Community Church. The pretty building has been there for years, but long before it was around, a discovery took place in about 1808 or 1809. At that time, a group of men were digging a pathway to Lake Winnipesaukee near the Melvin River. They came across a grave with a male skeleton. The man was about 7 ft. tall, and it was surmised he was Native American. Thus began the mystery of the grave by the lake; no one could tell how long he had been buried there or his name. 

According to town historian, Mary Hunter, “There are two stories: the first was that the Indian was found buried in a sitting position, looking out over the lake. The other story is that he was encapsulated in stone. I like to think he was sitting, gazing over the lake. I also think he was likely a person of some distinction; due to his height and the place he was buried.”

Over the years, as the area of Melvin Village/Tuftonboro grew, in 1834 a cemetery was added in back of the church. Years went by but the story of the Grave by the Lake was not forgotten.

The story became a legend and after the Civil War, well-known poet John Greenleaf Whittier summered in nearby Center Harbor. He heard the story of the 7 ft. tall Indian and was inspired to write a poem about him and the discovery of his body. The poem was called The Grave by the Lake, and it is likely this that gave greater exposure to the legend.

Fast forward to the 1950s, when the story caught the attention of Harold Ley. A resident of the Bald Peak homes near the golf club/course in Moultonborough, Ley saw the potential for tourism in the area and he was interested in helping attract visitors. 

Ley bought and paid for a stone marker which was placed at a corner of the graveyard by the church. Ley also ordered and had placed by the road in front of the church, a bronze silhouette/sign of an Indian. It is an attractive piece, featuring an Indian in feathered headdress. He is shooting an arrow, and the image has an aura of strength and beauty.

 Perhaps Ley surmised a memorial to the Grave by the Lake and the unnamed native person would be of interest to tourists, or maybe he was simply intrigued by the story.

There was a dedication ceremony when the marker was placed in the summer of 1955, and it was a big deal event. At the ceremony, New Hampshire Governor Lane Dwinell and his wife attended, as well as other local and state officials. A group of young men from the nearby caddy camp at Bald Peak Colony Club put on a skit. To add to the drama, they arrived by canoe from the Melvin Village river. Also at the dedication was an Abenaki Indian chief who traveled from Canada to be there.

It is up to each person who hears the history to decide for themselves if, long ago, a native man was buried overlooking Winnipesaukee, or if it is just a story. Many people like to think the man in the Grave by the Lake was someone special to his tribe. One local person surmised, “I imagine him buried sitting up and looking out over the lake; what could be better than that? I believe he was a man of importance.”

There is no way to know how long the grave of the man was around, undisturbed until the early 1800s. Perhaps it was hundreds of years before the grave was found. There also is no way to know if the man was a leader among his people, or what tribal community and area he called home.

The questions are many, with no real and solid answers except the belief that a man who once lived and probably loved the area, made use of Lake Winnipesaukee for water, food and travel. We don’t know his name, or when he was born or how he died. 

We know only that if not for him, there would be no Grave by the Lake. He has captured our imagination and will continue to do so for years to come.

If you own a boat or take a boat ride with a friend in the summertime, you might spot a tiny (and it is truly tiny) island on the lake. There is an equally tiny house on the rocky island known as Becky’s Garden.

The tale and the island home/garden came about many, many years ago. At one time land was ripe for picking in the Lakes Region – even the hard-to-access lake islands - were free for the taking. A young woman named Becky lived with her family in the area and while her father probably had no claim to the land, he offered Becky an island as a token versus actually owning some of the Winnipesaukee islands.

But Becky’s spoiled sisters wanted a matching gift from their father and made their displeasure known. After finally relenting to their insistence on owning an island apiece, Becky’s father gave his favorite daughter the first pick. This did not sit well with her sisters, and kindhearted Becky chose the smallest of Winnipesaukee’s islands. Her choice was no more than a rock jutting from the lake.

The story has a happy ending because a wealthy young man who had a prosperous farm heard the tale of Becky and her garden/island. He wanted to meet unselfish Becky, and when he did so, he found her to be beautiful and sweet. After wooing her, they were married. The moral of the little story is that an unselfish act and a kind heart, in the long run, can have positive results. Becky’s Island might be small, but it belonged to a woman with a big heart. Becky’s Garden Island is adorned with a mini house that offers every detail including a flagpole with an American flag.

Millionaire Charles Elliott Tilton created an ornate mansion overlooking the town of Tilton. The mansion was built in 1864 and had three stories. Charles Tilton was wealthy and well known; he hosted Civil War generals William Tecumseh Sherman and President Benjamin Harrison at his majestic home.

Charles Tilton made his fortune in the Gold Rush as a supplier of the tools the miners needed to search for gold. As his fortune increased, Tilton bought land, got into banking and invested in the railroad. He was born in New Hampshire and returned after making his fortune. The village of Tilton was named for Charles.

Tilton used his money and influence to erect many statues in the town. Some of the statues were, Asia, a delicate white stone work of art; a large granite stone base upon which a statue of a soldier stands; Chief Squantum, a statue of a powerful looking Native American chief; America, the statue that seems to survey everything going on in Tilton; and Europe, a sort of welcome-to-town statue near the entrance to Tilton Island Park.

No tour of the statues and the town is complete without mention of the Memorial Arch of Tilton. The hulking Arch sitting high upon a hill seems to tower over the area and is reminiscent of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

Charles Tilton commissioned, in 1882, the Arch in memory of his ancestors who had helped settle the town. The arch was modeled on the Arch of Titus in Rome, according to www.wikipedia.org. At 55 feet high by 40 feet wide (according to www.tiltonnh.org), the stone arch is eye catching, even more so because Charles had an idea that it would be the site of his final resting place.

Charles had a huge stone mausoleum built just under the Arch for this purpose. He supposedly saw the monument in Rome when visiting there in around 1880 and got the idea to construct a similar structure in his hometown.

However, the Arch was actually built on land in Northfield, the village next to Tilton. Some hoped Northfield would eventually become part of Tilton, but the plan never came to fruition; Northfield remained a separate town and did not become part of Tilton. Charles chose not to be buried in Northfield.

Alton Bay has a long history of catering to vacationers. Kids must have loved Alton Bay, with water and boating fun and a reptile-friendly museum. Vacationers, however, probably never expected to see a reptile zoo in Alton Bay! The museum had living reptiles, animals and curios.

But the biggest attraction was probably “Maggie the Baby Chimpanzee”. Kids could watch the chimp ride a bicycle before going to see the snakes, lizards, turtles, and even the Bird Eating Spider! Open all day and into the evening during busy summers, admission was 20 cents per adult and 15 cents for each child.

Today the museum is gone but the memory of all the reptile museum offered remains in the minds of those who once vacationed in Alton Bay.

Custom Wool Braided Rugs For Every Decor

By Lee Caldwell

Entering the Country Braid House in Tilton is a voyage into an ocean of color and pattern. Everywhere you look are hand-made woolen braided rugs: underfoot, piled high on tables, hanging from the walls, or hanging on racks from the ceiling.

Colors range from subtle earth tones to the bright and the colorful. Shapes are round, Nutting (a unique and traditional New England shape named after artist/author Wallace Nutting), square, hearts, ovals, rectangular, hexagonal, or intriguing combinations of hooked and braided rugs. Each is a unique work of art.

President Sarah Jurta, an engineer by trade, is a third-generation rug-maker. Proudly, she launches into the saga of her family’s journey in the rug trade.

“My grandfather, George Jurta, was the head mechanic of the J.P. Stevens woolen mill. It was said that, ‘If George can’t fix it, it is time to throw it away.’

“With only an eighth-grade education, he invented a braiding machine that braids the wool into a consistent tight braid.”

Patented in 1968, the seven machines made by George are still in use at the Country Braid House. They also use a cutting machine designed and built by George. It cuts the wool into the narrow strips which are fed on rolls into the braiding machine.

Sarah goes on, “The braiding machines need to be watched. There is a knack to learning how to use them. It is an art form.”

She continues, “The business started with Marion (wife) and George Jurta; then it was my mother, Jan Jurta, with Marion Jurta; then my mom, Jan, for 35 years. Five years ago, I convinced my husband to move up here from Boston to take over the business.

“We are a niche business that specializes in custom rugs. A client will bring in samples of their wallpaper or paint chips or fabric and we will go to the sample wall to select the wool and decide on the colors, pattern, size, shape, and design of the rug.”

The sample wall, much like a paint fan, has strips of colorful wool with hues to complement or contrast in the finished product.

Sarah continues, “There is a lot of math involved in the process. On the computer, we can also do electronic renderings of what the rug will look like when completed. We can also pull up renderings of previous rugs.

“Our rugs are authentic. We only use new wool and wool-blend fabric to make them. We buy wool on bolts from distributors in the United States. Unfortunately, wool is getting harder and harder to find.

“The braids are then hand-laced and the hand-lacing is concealed within the braids. The rugs are beautiful, durable, and reversible.”

Leaving the display room, she drifts into the cutting, braiding, and lacing workroom where design and operations manager Ryan Franklin demonstrates the art of using the braiding machine, feeding strips of wool into the machine while a tight, symmetrical braid emerges. An 8 by 10 rug takes 2 to 2.5 days to braid using the machine.

The center of the room is dominated by a huge table, as hand-lacing the rugs must be completed on a flat surface. Sarah stated that their largest custom-made braided rug was 10 feet by 54 feet. Its pink and blue braids are currently gracing the floor of a New York City apartment. Her mother, Jan, had to rent the Tilton Train Station to have a space large enough to hand-lace it.

Today, Ryan is hand-lacing a rectangular rug of mermaid-colored blues and greens, commissioned by interior designer Kristina Crestin. Rug design specialist Grace Allaire then pulls up the computer screen that shows the rug’s electronic rendering.

“We do work with interior designers as well as individual clients,” says Sarah. “One of my favorite things is helping people design a custom rug and hearing comments like, ‘It is so much prettier than I imagined.’ One of our rugs, destined for a beach house, was designed with beige and cream wool to capture the ambiance of beach sand.

“Braided rugs can be used with many different types of decor. Our rugs have gone as far away as Uruguay and have been featured in such publications as Architectural Digest, House and Garden, Country Living, Traditional Home, Southern Accents, and Yankee Magazine.”

Looking forward, Sarah is hoping to create a partnership with a local high school where students will come in and potentially design and then execute their own rug designs.

In addition to creating custom braided rugs, Country Braid House offers a repair service for vintage hand-made braided rugs and DIY kits for those who want to attempt to braid their own rugs. They sell wool remnants, have a limited number of hooked rugs for sale, and have a selection of both new and used in-stock authentic braided rugs. They also sell braided chair pads, stair runners, and stair treads.

Country Braid House is located at 462 Main Street in Tilton, with a phone at 603-286-4511. They have an extensive informational website at www.countrybraidhouse.com.

Maple Sugaring: A Family Tradition

The art of maple sugaring at the Eldridge Family Sugar House and Ice Cream Shop in Tamworth is very much a family affair.

Upon arrival, I was greeted by young family members Greyson and Rylee Theriault who then made a mad dash to summon Terri Eldridge, Scott Eldridge, and Erica Theriault for the interview. Having done his duty, Greyson returned to playing with his trucks, later disappearing into a back room.

Other family members include Brandon Eldridge, Matt Theriault, Brittaney Eldridge, Adalynne Eldridge, and Bodie Eldridge.

With Terri, Scott, Erica, and Rylee all chiming in, they began to recount the story of how, in 2015, the father-and-son duo of Scott and Brandon Eldridge began boiling maple sap with a custom-built barrel stove in the backyard. In 2016, they built their first sugar house, with a wood-fired 2-foot by 4-foot evaporator. In 2017, they had 400 taps. In 2019, they purchased a 2.5-foot by 8-foot oil-fired evaporator, and in 2020 built their new building, which has expanded to have an ice cream shop and a retail area.

Scott is the contact person for all things related to maple sugaring. He states that the sugaring season is unpredictable, usually 5 to 6 weeks between the end of February and into March, but it can be “different every year” as it requires a specific combination of warm days and cold nights.

Because the season is short, it requires a lot of hard work, and the entire family pitches in.

Using blue tubing (in lieu of the traditional sap buckets), the family taps 500 trees in Tamworth, 1,100 in Moultonborough, and 500 in Ossipee. (Over Maple Weekend, they do tap a few trees with the traditional buckets.) After boiling the sap (typically 40 gallons of sap makes 1 gallon of syrup, but it can vary), the Eldridge family produces around 430 gallons of syrup. Syrup then is graded into classifications as golden, amber, and dark.

Erica stated that many people are not familiar with the maple sugaring process. She goes on to add that the strangest question she was asked involved the blue tubing used to carry the maple sap from the trees. “Is that what you use to collect the honey?” Dumfounded, she explained that honey comes from bees, not trees.

Erica and Terri describe Brandon Eldridge as “the  big idea person” in the family. While working together, all the family members bounce ideas off each other, and Terri describes the family camaraderie as her favorite part of the mad rush during the maple sugaring season. Erica states that the maple syrup grading, using the Hanna scale of light transparency, is her favorite part of the process. “You never know what you are going to get,” she said.

Rylee then stated that her favorite part is “eating the maple ice cream.”

In addition to serving maple-flavored soft-serve ice cream, the Ice Cream Shop has 30 other flavors of ice cream. Over the past year, the kitchen has been expanded to include maple-related “grab-and-go” items and a 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. cafe for breakfast and lunch. Hours and days change according to the seasons.

Plans are in the works to expand their store  to create a “one-stop shop for campers.” In addition to carrying maple products, they plan to carry camping items and “lake”  items, US-made products from local vendors, small batch/small business items, and local meat and eggs.

The Eldridge/Theriault family also is dedicated to helping the community. They have done school tours with Rylee as a guide, have donated syrup and baskets for fundraising pancake breakfasts, contributed to school supply drives, and have participated in Thankful Thursdays, where non-profit organizations are donated a percentage of the sales.

Maple Weekend 2024 is slated for March 16 and 17. Visitors to the Eldridge Family Sugar House and Ice Cream Shop will be able to view the entire process, from tree to evaporation. There will be guided tours. Sap will be boiling on the evaporator. Offered will be a tasting of warm syrup, sugar on snow, maple products, maple-flavored soft-serve ice cream, and maple cotton candy.

The Eldridge Family Sugarhouse and Ice Cream Shop is located at 183 Plains Road (Route 41) in Tamworth. Phone number is 603-252-7125, the website is https://www.eldridgefamilysugarhouse.net/. Hours and days vary with the seasons.